Call Me Maybe
by only-re
Summary: spending another week without new chapter was pretty boring so i decided to re-read the previous chapters, and however unsuitable, i just couldn't help it when i saw Akiyama's line "here's my number". enjoy, and do forgive my bad grammar. inspired by the several first chapters and of course, CRJ's Call Me Maybe


_…hey I just met you and this is crazy…_

"Please save me!"

He startled. Now that's a genuine pick up line to approach someone fresh out of prison. Even more unadulterated that the little girl who actually uttered this had literally bumped into him. Nonetheless he was still aware of the two streams of river flowing out of her wide, innocent eyes. Not a very pleasant welcome-back-to-reality present.

Akiyama Shinichi frowned as words by words seemed to burst in amazing pace from her. Something involving money as much as 100.000.000 yen and—who was it, a teacher?

His first instinct was to flee as fast as possible. Not that he personally detest the type who strongly resembles innocent puppies, no—but this girl is certainly no hope. Akiyama won't be so surprised if this whole affair turns to be her mere imagination.

Well, she might be right. But she could be exaggerating due to her stress and panic; the sum of money could've been less than 10.000 yen. Someone could surely help solving her problem. Furthermore, to get involved with a frail girl like her was never his intention at the first place. He could be proved useful for her this once, but he was certain that she would bump into another kind of trouble. Bumping into an ex-con was pretty much evidence already. Not wise to hang around her. And what does it do him good if he helped her? It'd mean another scam to perform and worse: this time he was asked to stage a fraud for practically nothing. At least there was a solid reason for his previous deeds. Not a justifiable one, but it was worth it. But not this time, and not for a second time.

_…where you think you're going baby?..._

He took a deep breath.

She's still there, following him rather breathlessly. He'd managed to keep his distant from her. Alright, a distant he could safely observe her actually.

"How long do you plan in following me?"

She hesitated. Then, "Until you listen to my story, Akiyama-san."

He sighed again. "Then, wait here. I've gotta go drop this at my place. Don't move an inch."

She grinned with approval.

_Heh, that got rid of her_. He thought with satisfaction.

_…I wasn't looking for this but now you're on my way…_

_She's still there!_ Much to his surprise and annoyance, he saw her across the road, situated on the very spot he'd left her previously, waiting for him patiently. Akiyama, concealed himself neatly behind the nearest building around, can't help but to continue watching for her.

It's been 12 hours. People with some common sense would've realized what's been going on, and smarter people would actually perceive the "wait-here-I-gotta-go" as "get-outta-my-way-you-nuisance".

Either she's really desperate, or she's such an idiot. Or both. Whichever it was, still his conscience and a bit of humanity left within him averted him from leaving her too far. Or was it pure curiosity? He couldn't come up with exact answer though his brain had been working on it for quite some time (over another 14 hours, as a matter of fact), and there wasn't much more time to think when later on two street thugs tried to drag her away.

The desperate "Akiyama-san!" prompted him in an instant to defend her and take her to a safer place. Not that his wrecked apartment was the safest place on earth, but at least there's no rascals in his apartment. And she certainly needs some rest too. And had her story been a real one, he'd prefer to hear them in private. Talking about a sum as much as 100.000.000 yen in the middle of the street would only implicate more difficulties.

In bewilderment, he listened to her as she recounted her stories bit by bit.

She wasn't lying after all. And the former teacher she's been talking about only provided supplementary evidence to her story; he could hardly believe that she could actually refer to that wretched old scum as 'most trusted teacher'. She was indeed tricked out of 100.000.000 yen by the former teacher. It was not a bright state of affairs for her. But he managed to settle the problem pretty smoothly, and once again she surprised him for giving all her reward to the certain former teacher.

Now he found himself awkwardly accompanying a little girl who had persisted in giving him remuneration for helping her back to her apartment, completely ignoring his refusal on the subject.

_…but here's my number…_

But,yeah, she wasn't half bad a company. Walking her into her apartment wasn't really meaningless at all. And he was also half expecting for another trouble she would be getting into, for she was always the kind who got stumbled on the street, or getting robbed or any other kind of misfortunes due to her naivety—not that he was hoping for them to actually happen of course. So when she actually found another black smiley angel postcard at her door he was not surprised at all, and he was somewhat relieved that he had actually accompanied her back to her apartment.

"Ignore it," said him. "Legally speaking this card is nonsense. But if you're still worried about this, here's my number."

_...so call me maybe._

Few weeks later, somewhere on what was used to be a bowling parlor. Kanzaki Nao was sniffling helplessly. Her lost from Fukunaga was as plain as the nose in anyone's face. Now not only would she end up in tremendous debt, she would not be able to save Akiyama who's been cooped up in the Liar Game partly on her behalf. It was too much to bear on her own when suddenly a familiar voice that has become somewhat friendly to her ears greeted her.

"Drowning in tears again I see."

"Akiyama-san? Why are you here?" she was flustered. But a slight of relief betrayed her sadness as she saw him, he noted with contentment.

He gazed at her. Having lost his precious mother, Akiyama was prepared for a solitary cold life, but it turned out that he wasn't anything ready for someone to open his heart once again. Now that a certain someone actually did that, he couldn't lose her at all cost.

"Well, you stopped calling to harass me all of a sudden. Anyone would realize that something's happened to you." He had managed to draw those lines pretty casually. Too casually perhaps. But who cares? It was her safety that he prioritized. He won't be able to withstand it if her life was at stakes.

_And look what's eating you when you stop calling me_—shit, this is no time to take romance into serious consideration, and Akiyama swore that he would never ever let Kanzaki Nao finds out about his inner thoughts. Luckily enough she didn't seem to pay attention as to why on earth her stopped calling him had mattered so much that _he _would readily dash into her.

_Ah well_, he decided, _let's just settle things this way for the time being_. It's pretty much easier for him to just follow the current flow, and with Kanzaki Nao there's no helping it as he himself was never too sure about what she might come up with at any moment. _We'll just figure out what about to come in the meantime_.


End file.
